hello from the bbc sport centre. the final of the world darts championship is under way, with teenage sensation luke littler taking on the three—time winner michael van gerwen. 17—year—old littler, the runner—up last year, will become the youngest winner of the title if he beats van gerwen, who currently holds that record. he won his first title at the age of 24. they're in the very early stages. litter hasjust claimed the opening set and leads 1—0. you can follow it live on the bbc sport website and app. the first to seven sets will be crowned the champion. liverpool manager arne slot says trent alexander—arnold remains fully committed to the club despite a recent approach by real madrid which was rebuffed by the club. with the player's contract expiring at the end of the season, slot wouldn't rule out alexander—arnold being sold in the january transfer window, preferring only to confirm he will be in the team for their next premier league match against manchester united.

i can tell you that he's playing on sunday, and hopefully he brings the same performances as he brought for the last half—year, because i think everybody saw how great of a first half of the season he had, how much he is here, how much he wants to win here. meanwhile, manchester city's manager, pep guardiola, admits the club need to think seriously about whether they offer kevin de bruyne a new contract. the belgian has been an integral part to city's success over the last decade, but has recently struggled with injuries and consistency. he had problems in the last, i would say, year, year and a half, like many players. but, of course, when he's consistent and can play regularly, i've said many times, he's a really important player for us, decisive player. but it's going to happen for the club for how he'll perform at the end of the season. i think the club has

to think about it. novak djokovic has suffered a shock defeat in his first tournament of the season, losing in the quarterfinals of the brisbane open. the 24—time grand slam—winner, ranked seventh in the world, lost to american reilly opelka, whose ranking is 293. djokovic is preparing for the australian open, when he'll have andy murray coaching him. he lost the first set on a tie break, and the nearly seven—foot—tall american took the second 6—3 to claim the biggest win of his career. we had nothing to lose coming in against him. he's the greatest player ever, so you end up playing more free and you do things that you end up going and taking a lot more risks because it's your only chance. if you play your normal level or even above your normal level, he's going to win every time. so it's tough in his position because he gets guys that are good players that roll the dice and on a day like this were a lot of things go my way,

that's how it works out. sabalenka will face the 17—year—old mirra andreeva no problems for the number—one seed in the women's draw. aryna sabalenka booked her place in the semifinals in brisbane after beating marie bouzkova in straight sets. sabalenka will face the 17—year—old mirra andreeva in the finalfour. ilona maher will make her bristol bears debut off the bench on sunday when they play champions gloucester—hartpury at ashton gate. the 28—year—old american, who won sevens bronze at the paris olympics, is quite possibly the most recognised player in the world because of her huge social media profile. she's signed a three—month contract with bristol and has already made a big impression on her teammates. she's doing really well. you say "superstar," but she's just here to play rugby. and she's a very, very good rugby player, and i think she will add a lot to the squad, notjust because of her rugby, but because she's experienced, she's played

at a very high level. so, for me, as one of the leaders, there's plenty of leaders around, she's going to add to that, too. so looking forward to playing on saturday and training alongside her. and luke littler havejust claimed the second set. we are keeping an eye as we like the arrows in this studio. sir nick clegg is standing down from the board of the us tech giant meta after six years in one of the top jobs at the company. the former deputy leader of the liberal democrats joined the company in 2018 as head of global policy. he is to be replaced by his deputy and prominent republicanjoel kaplan, who previously served as white house deputy chief of staff under george w bush. donald trump once called meta the "enemy of the people", and three weeks out from the inauguration, it is hard not to see this as a deeply political move. zuckerberg has been working

hard to rebuild bridges with the president—elect, and kaplan is well respected with republican circles. let's pick it up there with the panel. it cannot be a coincidence that three weeks from donald trump taking office, there is a change to the top? office, there is a change to the tap?— the top? absolutely not, christian. _ the top? absolutely not, christian. here - the top? absolutely not, christian. here you - the top? absolutely not, christian. here you have| the top? absolutely not, | christian. here you have a whole new ball game in town come january whole new ball game in town comejanuary 20 in washington, dc. everybody knows it. it's going to be a republican controlled town, so why not have somebody at the top of meta who has connections, who has worked with republicans and those republicans. and i think it'sjust those republicans. and i think it's just a good those republicans. and i think it'sjust a good move those republicans. and i think it's just a good move to those republicans. and i think it'sjust a good move to be very sincere with you. and meta would not be the only company that does this. you have a lot of companies that will change their top people or shake it or move it around in order to be there because it's a new sheriff in town with a new posse. you have a republican town, and i think meta is doing the right thing. let's not

forget zuckerberg met with donald trump not long ago, so i'm sure they had a conversation and i'm sure that was kind of set in place. here we are, it's a new day. it really interesting point that, you've got elon musk sitting very close donald trump and has made some very big changes to x. the algorithms have changed. is that many will see big changes at instagram meta as well? i changes at instagram meta as well? ., �* ~' . changes at instagram meta as well? ., �* ~ ., ., well? i don't think what elon musk was — well? i don't think what elon musk was doing _ well? i don't think what elon musk was doing at _ well? i don't think what elon musk was doing at x - well? i don't think what elon musk was doing at x is - well? i don't think what elonj musk was doing at x is going well? i don't think what elon i musk was doing at x is going to be reflected at facebook and instagram. i think what you see is what — instagram. i think what you see is what the congressman mentioned, which is is a new administration in a are the name _ administration in a are the name of— administration in a are the name of the game and they already— name of the game and they already had joel kaplan working for them as a deputy. i have to say i _ for them as a deputy. i have to say i know_ for them as a deputy. i have to say i know him and work with him _ say i know him and work with him at — say i know him and work with him at the _ say i know him and work with him at the white house under george — him at the white house under george w. bush and he is immensely talented and has a lovely— immensely talented and has a lovely family. he is known as being — lovely family. he is known as being a — lovely family. he is known as

being a very loyal man, loyal friend~ — being a very loyal man, loyal friend~ he _ being a very loyal man, loyal friend. he took a risk during the confirmation hearings of brett — the confirmation hearings of brett cavanaugh, who i also worked _ brett cavanaugh, who i also worked with him when he was a staff— worked with him when he was a staff secretary for president bush — staff secretary for president bush. he took a risk of a type because — bush. he took a risk of a type because he was working at facebook and he came in he sat right— facebook and he came in he sat right behind him during his confirmation hearings and did not care — confirmation hearings and did not care that supported his friend _ not care that supported his friend was more important to him _ friend was more important to him then— friend was more important to him then a lot of the lies that were — him then a lot of the lies that were being spun in the media about— were being spun in the media about brett, who then became a supreme — about brett, who then became a supreme courtjustice about brett, who then became a supreme court justice and about brett, who then became a supreme courtjustice and he is doing _ supreme courtjustice and he is doing a — supreme courtjustice and he is doing a greatjob there. but what — doing a greatjob there. but what is _ doing a greatjob there. but what is happening with elon musk— what is happening with elon musk is— what is happening with elon musk is a little bit different. facebook and instagram are facing — facebook and instagram are facing a _ facebook and instagram are facing a lot of challenges at the local level, and i'm sure it wiii— the local level, and i'm sure it will potentially federally as well because there are many studies — as well because there are many studies coming out showing that instagram is really bad particularly 14 girls for self—esteem, this is immediate use contributes to higher levels _ use contributes to higher levels of anxiety and they are different _ levels of anxiety and they are different states and of our introduced legislation restricting access to minors or even — restricting access to minors or even australia who banned social—

even australia who banned social media use for teens under— social media use for teens under 16— social media use for teens under 16 altogether. but the interesting _ under 16 altogether. but the interesting thing _ under 16 altogether. but the interesting thing is - under 16 altogether. but the interesting thing is actually l interesting thing is actually the conservatives and republicans in washington if not really show much interest in social platform regulation. in this country we have had the online safety act, the european union has brought in the digital services asked with a bit of an open field of the moment in the us. although interestingly on the right side of the house, they have shown more interest in regulation to keep freedom of speech open. which is a peculiarity but not to monitor the things that you are talking about.— are talking about. there is auoin are talking about. there is going to — are talking about. there is going to be _ are talking about. there is going to be a _ are talking about. there is| going to be a philosophical difference. conservatives tend to think— difference. conservatives tend to think that families need to be strengthened with the tools they need to protect their children, and democrats are going — children, and democrats are going to _ children, and democrats are going to say let's make a law. and _ going to say let's make a law. and so— going to say let's make a law. and so you _ going to say let's make a law. and so you will see in new york state _ and so you will see in new york state with— and so you will see in new york state with democratic governor where — state with democratic governor where they are considering things— where they are considering things like a law. i think there _ things like a law. i think there is— things like a law. i think there is a law in florida is well— there is a law in florida is well under the republican

governor so this is playing out — governor so this is playing out. republicans, conservatives care about — out. republicans, conservatives care about free speech with their— care about free speech with their health or recognition social— their health or recognition social media maybe is a different animal. but does regulating it actually solve the problem, right? because the problem — the problem, right? because the problem is it causes anxiety notjust_ problem is it causes anxiety notjust for kids problem is it causes anxiety not just for kids but also adults— not just for kids but also adults as well. have many parents _ adults as well. have many parents are having to struggle with them looking at my phone too much — with them looking at my phone too much instead of attending too much instead of attending to my — too much instead of attending to my child in this moment? but how you — to my child in this moment? but how you deal with that is where policy _ how you deal with that is where policy comes into play, but as i policy comes into play, but as i was — policy comes into play, but as i was saying with x, elon musk took— i was saying with x, elon musk took a — i was saying with x, elon musk took a platform that famously was censoring people committing people _ was censoring people committing people off. they kicked president drop off. facebook and instagram did not have that same _ and instagram did not have that same issue so i think it's a little — same issue so i think it's a little bit _ same issue so i think it's a little bit different.- same issue so i think it's a little bit different. there is a traditional _ little bit different. there is a traditional silicon - little bit different. there is a traditional silicon valley| a traditional silicon valley view that governments are terrible, regulation is terrible, regulation is terrible and particularly european governments are terrible. and that was the view that nick clegg help to change, and ijust wonder if that nick clegg help to change, and i just wonder if this that nick clegg help to change, and ijust wonder if this going is to be a problem for uk and european governments on this issue of safeguarding and the

way that speech has changed on x, is it going to be a problem that he is not the top any more? ., ., �* ~' that he is not the top any more? ., ., �* ,, ,., more? no, i don't think so. i think what — more? no, i don't think so. i think what you _ more? no, i don't think so. i think what you just _ more? no, i don't think so. i think what you just hurt - think what you just hurt obviously traditionally, high—tech, meta and those folks have always been with the democratic party. i think that is changing. we are starting to see the shovel at the top, christian, so having kaplan come in who i don't know but from what i've read and what i've heard it's very, very qualified, is going to be a great thing for meta and a great thing for meta and a great thing for capitol hill and for president front from the standpoint there is will to be good communication. are they going to change the differences in the parties of what they are asking for? i think give—and—take i can guarantee you this nothing will go to the house with the blessing of president donald trump as we move forward. filtrate president donald trump as we move forward.— move forward. we will talk about elon _ move forward. we will talk about elon musk. - meanwhile, elon musk has waded into british politics again. in something akin to an online rant, he posted 40 times in just 24 hours, most of the tweets related

to historical child grooming cases here in the uk and the british government's decision to not hold a national inquiry. he accused the prime minister of not doing enough to prosecute grooming gangs while he was the director of public prosecutions. in fact, it was sir keir starmer that began the prosecutions of the gang in rochdale. he also began the reform of how the cps handles child sex abuse cases, but the bigger point here is musk�*s relentless focus on british politics, and not only british politics. last night, the vice president—elect, jd vance, was forced to distance himself from musk�*s support for germany's far—right afd. "i'm not endorsing a party in the german elections, as it's not my country," he wrote. that surely is the point. whatever the merits or otherwise of a national inquiry into child grooming, that is a debate for uk politicians. why is elon musk tweeting from mara lago and inserting himself into the debate here?—

the debate here? there is no doubt and — the debate here? there is no doubt and i _ the debate here? there is no doubt and i know _ the debate here? there is no doubt and i know elon - the debate here? there is no doubt and i know elon muskl doubt and i know elon musk pulls her when i was within a governor of california, i actually met him and we did business with arnold schwarzenegger in the us so he is a very passionate person when it comes to an issue that he cares about. obviously this issue pops up in the uk, and he issue pops up in the uk, and he is very passionate and starts to tweet. and you know what, it's who he is. you are not going to change him. is he going to change him. is he going to change him. is he going to stop rhythmic eventually he will. tweeting on this but he is a big free—speech kind of guy, christian, and you will begin to see more and more of this. now let's not forget president drop is not the president today. yes, elon musk is at mara lago a lot, but he is passionate about this issue, he will continue to tweet and i'm telling you know from experience but from what i've seen of how elon musk operates, and when he tweets, christian, it's 210 million people. so it

has a lot of impact. but that is the point. _ has a lot of impact. but that is the point. he _ has a lot of impact. but that is the point. he has - has a lot of impact. but that is the point. he has an - is the point. he has an unenviable position as the head of this huge platform. is there not some responsibility that comes with that? i not some responsibility that comes with that?— not some responsibility that comes with that? i think that if it's an issue _ comes with that? i think that if it's an issue that _ comes with that? i think that if it's an issue that pops - comes with that? i think that if it's an issue that pops up l if it's an issue that pops up and he feels very passionate about it, he is going to tweet. he would not sit there and wait back and say is a good do this or do that, no. he will tweet and that's what president trump does and that's what presiden